324 THE BIRDS OF HELIGOLAND 



turbable good temper ; for in dull wet weather or cold snow-storms, 

 when most of our feathered friends, sadly dejected in spirit and 

 with feathers all awry, appear to be hoping for better times, this 

 tiny little fellow alone flits about as cheerfully and actively as ever, 

 and by its merry caU-note, and the vivacious glance of its bright 

 eyes, seems to ' snap its fingers ' at all discomforts ; should, however, 

 a stray gleam of sunshine penetrate the gloom of the dull whiter 

 day, we shall forthwith find our little friend sitting on a stone in 

 front of one of the grottos at the bottom of the cliff, joyfully giving 

 utterance to some few strophes of its modest song. 



Although the Wren has not yet been found nesting on this 

 island, it is to be met with throughout the whole year, excepting in 

 the summer months, when the business of breeding keeps it away. 

 In the winter it frequents the hollows and ravines at the base of 

 the cliff. 



The breeding range of this little bird extends from Portugal to 

 Japan, reaching in Scandinavia as far as 65 N. latitude. 



StonechatSaxicola. Despite the modest colours of the plumage 

 of all members of this genus, the markings are very attractive, 

 and the birds display much sprightliness and elegance in all their 

 habits and movements. The genus comprises about five-and-twenty 

 species, almost all of which belong to southern latitudes ; only one, 

 Saxicola cenanthe, in addition to the two species, 8. rubetra and 

 8. rubicola, is numerously represented as a resident breeding species 

 in northern Europe, and visits Heligoland in large numbers during 

 both migration periods. Besides this species, three other south 

 European, one African, and one Asiatic species, have been kiUed 

 here ; the two last, 8. deserti and 8. morio, being at that time new 

 to Europe. 



137. Common Wheatear [GKAUER STEINSCHMATZBB]. 

 SAXICOLA CENANTHE, Linn. 



Heligolandish : (Men ; Ohl-wittsi'dtje A = White-tailed Stonechat. 

 Saxicola cenanthe. Naumann, iii. 863. 

 Common Wheatear. Dresser, ii. 187. 

 Traque moteux. Temminck, Manuel, i. 237, iii. 164. 



This apparently confident but nevertheless extremely cautious 

 bird is distributed over the whole of Europe up to the extreme 

 north, and is resident within the same parallels of latitude through- 



